Ukraine concerned about large-scale deploying Russian troops along the border

On Dec 4, 2018

Ukraine is concerned about the dangerous escalation near in the Azov and Black Sea and along the border with Russia.

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko said at the TV program on the ICTV channel that Russia increases the number of soldiers and military equipment near the border with Ukraine.

“The pattern of deployment shows that the corresponding offensive groups can be formed in the shortest possible time and the direction of their actions in Ukraine. Therefore, we consider not just one direction – Luhansk and Donetsk regions – but the northeastern, eastern and southern borders of Ukraine as well,” Viktor Muzhenko said.

He also spoke about the creation of the Russian division consisting of two tanks and two motorized rifled regiments.

“Such divisions are called “Proryv” (breakthrough in English) division. Obviously, the division is being created not for defensive actions, but for attacking,” the Head of the General Staff noted.

According to him, this division is part of the 8th combined-arms army deployed in Novocherkassk.

“The most interesting thing is that two army corps, which are located in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, are controlled from the headquarters of this 8th combined-arms army. We see systemic formation,” Muzhenko stressed.

He also said that the Russian Federation had “almost doubled” the number of its ships in the waters of the Sea of Azov.

As reported, on November 25, Russian border ships committed the acts of aggression against three Ukrainian ships heading from the port of Odesa to the port of Mariupol. The Russian special forces fired and seized three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait and 24 sailors aboard.

On November 26, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law approving the decree of the President of Ukraine on the imposition of the martial law for 30 days in 10 regions of Ukraine in connection with the aggression of Russia.